Pliers and the like



Aug. 25, 1931. E. H. WIGAND PLIERS AND THE LIKE Filed Dc.

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(Mmmm ATTWENEX pliers or wrench-pliers,- in a UNITED STATES PATE NT OFFICE EDWARD E. WIGAND, F ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA PETERS AND THE LIKE Application filed December 9, 1929. Serial No. 412,786.

My invention relates to improvements in wrenches, pliers used b ject mechani and like implements such as `cs in general, the main obo the invention being to provide a wrench with increased scope of utility, including means for lncreaslng leverage avallable as comp ared to two-piece levers 'and consequently create an increased gripping condition on objects such as b olt heads,

shafts, piping and other articles.

With the above main objects in view the inventionA consists of improvements herein fully set, forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawin gs, in which,-

Fig. 1 is a top edge view of my improved preferred form.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. 1 with a part of one jaw member partly in section,

the pliers being and in round pipe-like Referring to shown closed, in full lines,

dotted lines one jaw and handle member shown dotted with the jaws engaging a object. the drawings by reference numerals, I have for illustrative purpose only, of pipe-pliers, members 5-5 shown my device as embodied in a'pair the tool having the usual jaw A shown serrated interiorly,

said jaws being pivoted and crossed at 7.

The up l A per jaw has an integral handle or lever 8 while the lower jaw lever arm 9 comparatively short a ing rearwardly and upwardl 5 has an integral nd extendfrom the pivot 7 in spaced relation to an above lever 8. 10 are a pair of transversely spaced,

parallel ears, 7 and in which front end of an 4ward of pivot` on lever 8 rearward of pivot is pivoted on a pin 11 the upper hand lever 12 which of that part of lever 8 rear- 11. The levers 8-12 are `gripped simultaneously to close the jaws 5A-5, ythere being provided adjustable connecting means between lever 12 and the adjacent j aw arm be described.

9 above it as will presently 13 is an upright rack-bar vpivoted at its lower end on a pivot pin or bolt 14 within a slot 15 of lever 12, said pin being insertable through said rack-bar and any pair of a number of pairs of holes 16. Above pivot 14 the rear edge of the bar comprises a 50 toothed-rack normally extending through and above a longitudinal slot 17 of jawlever 9. In the forward part of said slot is an integral-tooth 17T which is engaged by any of the teeth of the rack bar, said bar 55 being impelled rearwardly into contact with said tooth 17T by a Hat-spring 18 bearing yieldingly against the forward edge of. the rack bar (see Fig. 2). l

For ordinary wrench purposes the device may beset as shown in full lines in Fig. 2, that is 'with the jaw member \5A5 contacting with each other when the`lever members 8`12 are nearly closed. Assuming that the jaws are desired to be engaged with maximum grip as on a pipe, designated 19 in Fig. 2, the arm 9 is moved upwardly, the bar 13 li'rst being pressed forward until tooth 17T engages one of the upper teeth of the rack bar and lever 12 may also be 70 moved away from lever 8 as to dotted position in Fig. 2.' This variable adjustment is readily made with one hand if the operator first sets the lever 9 to a wide angle, so that the outermost tooth of rack bar 13 is en- 75 gaged, the jaws 5A-5 being then considerably spread. When the jaws are then placed'to straddle an object, as 19, the operator. presses down on the rear end of lever 9 with the thumb of the hand which grips 80 the levers 8- 12 until the object 19 is loosely engaged, the corresponding tooth of rack 13 then being engaged by tooth 17T. Then to move orturn an object 19 the jaws 5A5 are clamped tight to it when the operator clamps the levers -12-8 tightly pulling on rack 13 which in turn pullsjaw arm 9 toward lever 8,with considerable force.

The leverage available and increase of leverage is of course directly governed by the between its tooth 17T and its fulcrum 7 The lever-arm in member 12 is of course variable according to which pair of holes 16 the fulcrum pin 14: of bar 13 is engaged in.

A feature of this wrench is the last described operation in which the jaws 5A-5 are spread apart initially and then closed, to contact with an object to be held, by a simple pressure movement on the rear part of arm 9 by the thumb of the same hand which grasps the levers 12-8.

.It'vwill now be readily understood that this device in itself is a powerful wrench if ma e in about the proportions shown, but is further efficient and more powerful if the levers 8-12 are longer, other parts remaining the same. The levers 8-12 may be extended either 'by making them long or by putting va pipe on either or both of them providing ample leverage for heavy work. As an example ofthe versatility of these pliers it will be readily understood that the levers 12-8 can be made straight and of considerable length, the jaws spread as desired and the entire device used as a handling means for red-hot irons in forve or blacksmith shops or such elongated djevice used for removing clinkers from a furnace fire-pot, or grasping nuts or bolts n machines of various kinds. where such nuts and bolts are otherwise almost inaccessible.

The invention disclosed may also be embodied in tinsmiths snips or sheet metal cutters in general and it is obvious that in a pair of snips for cutting sheet metal powerful leverage is available up to the very tips of the cutting jaws of such implement.

I claim:

l. A pair of pliers comprising two counterpart jaw members crossed and pivotally connected, a main lever arm extending integrally from one of said jaw members and comprising one member 0f two hand operated levers7 a secondary hand operated lever extending in a common lane with the said first lever rearwardly o the jaws and the forward end thereof fulcrumed rearwardly of the jaw-fulcrum; the other of said jaw members comprising in part an integral short arm extending rearwardly' from its fulcrum and in proximity to the forward part and outwardly of the secondary hand lever described, a toothed rack bar pivoted to said short hand lever rearward of its fulcrum and adjustably engaging the said short jaw arm and yieldable means pressing said bar into engagement with said arm.

2. The structure specified in claim 1 in whichsaid short-arm is slotted longitudinally near its rear end, said rack bar means comprising a toothed bar pivotally fixed in the second hand lever in variable positions relative to the fulcrum of the latter lever and said bar projecting through said slot and Y 

